A month after COVID-19 infections began to surge following the Thanksgiving holiday, the virus continues to devastate the San Joaquin Valley. Hospitals are reporting more patients with COVID-19 than ever, intensive care units continue to report only a handful of open beds each day, and hundreds of healthcare workers who could otherwise be caring for patients or staffing medical facilities are currently unable to work after either testing positive for the virus or entering quarantine following a close exposure. The arrival of the vaccine has so far brought only limited relief: Of the 2 million doses that have arrived in California, logistical challenges and vaccine reluctance have meant that more than 70 percent still remain unused . In the Valley, nearly 21,000 doses have been administered out of more than 44,000 that arrived. This week’s COVID-19 update explores the vaccine rollout in the wake of an overwhelmed medical system, featuring excerpts from a media call with Fresno County’s
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